Economic and physical post-harvest losses incurred in the Nile Perch Fishery at Kiyindi Landing Site in Buikwe District

Abstract

Fishing has been known to be one of the oldest occupations of mankind, and in Lake Victoria it has been largely practiced at artisanal level. Post-harvest losses in artisanal fisheries are critical because of their impact on welfare and economic growth of fishing communities. Uganda’s fisheries subsector faces a challenge of fish post-harvest losses which if monitored, assessed and reversed would increase the benefits to all the stakeholders in the fisheries value chain. However, the data on the actual post-harvest losses is not available. The study was conducted to quantify the level of Lake Victoria Nile Perch (Lates niloticus) economic and physical post-harvest losses incurred by fishermen in Uganda at an average landing site. The fish landed was graded in terms of freshness into grade A (best quality), and grade B(reject) and then the weight and selling price of each grade recorded. There was a statistical significance in the onboard handling practices with those keeping fish; in sacks, on boat floor lined with woven sacks, and in insulated containers with ice at 56.7%, 30% and 13.3% respectively. An average physical loss of 2 fish per catch and when computed for a ton, a loss of 161±113 fish or 241.5±169.5 kg was obtained. A financial loss of Ug Shs. 1,907,175.3/= (529.8USD) was obtained for a ton. Also, there was a significant difference in the prices of Nile perch quality grades at the landing site(P<0.05). Conclusively, there are indeed physical and economic post-harvest fish losses at Kiyindi landing site and they significantly affect the social-economic welfare of the fishers and revenue accrued from the fishery. To ascertain food security and reduce the economic losses incurred by fishermen, physical post-harvest losses should be averted through sensitization, robust knowledge dissemination and infrastructural development at landing sites such as uplifting and construction of cold storage rooms for freshly landed Nile perch fish.